Author: Press Room
Dunedin is attracting international attention from those as far as Sweden looking to establish new gaming studios in the city, councillors have heard. “It’s not a difficult sell, to be honest, internationally,” New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (Code) chief executive Tim Ponting said. Code is an economic development initiative by the government to grow the country’s gaming sector, its headquarters based in Dunedin. As part of its nine-year 2025-34 long-term plan deliberations last month, the Dunedin City Council approved funding for Code of $150,000 per annum for seven years. The organisation had suggested a funding request of $250,000 per…
Christopher Luxon touched down in Shanghai as global uncertainty remains amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.China overnight pulled its embassy staff out of Tehran, the capital city of Iran, as China President Xi Jinping called for de-escalation in the Middle East. Gui Jiakun, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, spoke publicly on the matter.“China calls on all parties concerned, especially those with special influence over Israel, to shoulder their due responsibilities, take immediate action to help cool down the situation, and prevent the conflict from further escalating and spreading,” Jiakun said.It was a call echoed by Luxon.”We don’t…
Published on 18/06/2025 – 18:38 GMT+2ADVERTISEMENTMembers of the European Parliament engaged in a fierce debate about the government’s ban on the Budapest Pride event by the Viktor Orbán government. MEPs argued that the move violates freedom of expression and called on the European Commission to act. Iratxe Garcia, the group leader of the Socialists and Democrats at the European Parliament, denounced the move and called for the EU to take a strong reaction. “The last red line that the Orban government has crossed is not just an isolated fact, it’s not even just an oddity of a country, it’s an outright…
Chinese nationals will no longer need to obtain transit visas when passing through New Zealand airports from November, the Government has announced.Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced today that Chinese passport holders would instead be able to use the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority.A new air route from China to South America via Auckland has also been teased. Today’s announcement appears to have been timed with PM Christopher Luxon’s visit to China, alongside a visa waiver trial for certain Chinese travellers revealed last week. “Instead of spending $235 and waiting four days, individuals can pay as little as $17 and can…
Central Napier retailers are calling for more support to deter burglars after a series of smash-and-grabs – including a pharmacy which was targeted for a third time in 10 weeks. Life Pharmacy Napier City owner and manager Peter Bailey told 1News the robbers were taking only perfume as these were easy to sell online. A stock-take of perfumes has become an almost monthly task for his staff. Bailey said the “flavours of the month” were Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million and Versace.”It’s tough. You get woken up in the middle of the night and the police knocking on your window.”Police said…
By Shona Murray & Maïa de La Baume Published on 18/06/2025 – 14:51 GMT+2•Updated 15:19ADVERTISEMENTThe EU is unlikely to suspend its association agreement with Israel in the context of its current conflict with Iran, sources familiar with the issue have told Euronews.Last month a majority of the EU foreign ministers backed a Dutch proposal to review the bloc’s ties with Israel over its actions in Gaza.The EU’s diplomatic corps, the External Action Service (EEAS), has been reviewing the bloc’s wide-ranging trade and cooperation agreement with Israel over its military offensive in Gaza and the West Bank as well as its blocking of food,…
A central North Island iwi has filed court action against Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka and the Department of Conservation (DOC) over concession made to the commercial operators of Tūroa and Whakapapa ski fields on Ruapehu.The iwi, Te Patutokotoko, alleges the Crown failed their legal obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi by failing to engage with them and actively protect their interests in their ancestral maunga by continuing to deal with private owners over them.Lead claimant Te Kurataiaha Te Wanikau Tūroa told RNZ the the iwi has been looking for a solution to the issue for years, but was “shrugged…
Published on 18/06/2025 – 15:00 GMT+2•Updated 15:00ADVERTISEMENTBut 30 years of exposure to glyphosate has shattered his dreams and his existence. He was diagnosed five years ago with an intravascular B-cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. It has been recognised as an occupational disease.Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world and also the most controversial. It has been classified as “probably carcinogenic” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 2015. More recent studies from research institutes such as the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) have established a likely link between…
A small South Otago school has raised nearly $60,000 by selling butter.The rising price of butter has led a number of schools to ditch traditional fundraisers in favour of selling the blocks instead.Kaitangata School managed to sell just under 15,000 blocks of butter throughout the community — earning them a grand total of $59,000, with some blocks travelling as far as Christchurch.Brittany Morrison is both a teacher and parent at the school, as well as being the treasurer and secretary of the school community group which ran the fundraiser.She said the outcome of the fundraiser completely exceeded their expectations.”We did…
ADVERTISEMENTIsrael is set to be one of the first countries targeted by a reform of the mechanism to suspend short-stay visa-free travel into the EU and Schengen countries agreed on Tuesday by the European Parliament and the Council according to European Parliament sources.The new rules amend the grounds for suspending visa free schemes to include violations of human rights, which could lead to the imposition of mandatory visas for Israeli citizens, among others, sources from the Parliament familiar with the dossier told Euronews.Currently nationals from 61 countries – including Australia, Brazil, Israel, Japan, UK, Ukraine and the Western Balkan states…